TAKAMATSU, Japan - A university in Kagawa is turning one of the western Japan prefecture's most famous foods into an unlikely new material, using discarded udon noodles to create biodegradable "paper".

Researchers are using microorganisms to transform unwanted wheat noodles from local restaurants into thin sheets of cellulose with a texture similar to traditional Japanese "washi" paper, in an initiative aimed at reducing food waste and creating new local products.